My Story

Cuatro Caminos "four roads", where your child lives, is an area located high on the side of a mountain in the state of Quiché, Guatemala.  Life in this area is very difficult and very isolated from the outside world.  It is a two hour walk to the nearest market town of Zacualpa.  Cuatro Caminos is a farming area where corn and black beans, the staple elements in their diet, are the major crops.  The Quiché Indians who inhabit this area trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization.  They normally speak an Indian dialect called Quiché - however, Spanish is becoming more common.  Very little money ever changes hands in this area as they live on a barter system.

It is my pleasure to say hello for the first time to you. I am Alan Luciano Ruiz Ajqui, and I am glad to share a little bit about me with you. My father is Manuel Ruiz Garcia, and he is a mason´s helper. My mother is Juana Ajqui Chic, and she takes care of us and the house. Thankfully, they are both healthy. We are currently attending the Prince of Peace Church.

I was born in Zacualpa on August 5, 2022. I am 4 years old and I will not attend school until I am 6. My health is good. My hobbies are playing with toy cars and soccer. My favorite pet is the cat. I like blue color. My favorite dish is beef soup. I have one sister who is part of the feeding program too. One of my uncles usually takes me to the feeding program, and we walk for about 30 minutes to get there.

We live in my paternal grandparents´ house but we do not pay any rent. There are three rooms and a separate kitchen. The house is made of tin sheet roof, adobe walls and dirt floor. We get our water from a nearby river because we do not have running water at home. My parents and grandparents pay for the electricity service every other month.  At home, we have chickens and pigs. Some of our needs are clothes, corn and groceries. Well, this is all for now, thank you for your time and your interest in getting to know more about me. God bless you!

Sincerely yours,

Alan Luciano Ruiz Ajqui

Translated by: Mireya de Sandoval, AAC Secretary / Antigua